Blackcollar: The Judas Solution by Timothy Zahn

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    "No, I'm sure you're just here to sample the local cuisine," Galway said, stepping back to the doorway.
    "At any rate, you can look forward to a few quiet days here, after which you'll be released." He hesitated. "I'll try to get the Ryqril to let you go back to Plinry."
    "After the others are dead?"
    "Hopefully, after the others are on their way elsewhere," Galway assured him. "We'll just have to see how this first test goes."
    " 'Test'?"
    "Perhaps I'll be able to tell you all about it someday," Galway said. "In the meantime, whatever hospitality I can offer is yours. Is there anything you'd like?"
    "How about something to read?" Caine suggested. "The history and current events of this part of Khala, maybe. Some maps of Inkosi City and the environs would be nice, too."
    Galway smiled faintly. "In case you're able to escape?"
    "That's the primary duty of a prisoner of war," Caine reminded him. "Some actual clothing would be nice, too. It's rather chilly in here."
    "The clothing's on the top bunk," Galway said, pointing above him. "As to the rest, I'll see what I can do."
    "Thank you," Caine said. "Maybe some music, too." He looked around the bare room. "And some pictures and a carpet."
    "It is rather grim, isn't it?" Galway agreed, looking around as well. "It was a spotter strongpoint during the war, using radar and searchlights to target incoming Ryqril ships."
    "With the Ryqril response to such targeting thus being drawn away from the more important military and civilian areas?"
    "Exactly," Galway said. "I understand there was a whole semicircle of these expendable, more or less single-use facilities around Inkosi City."
    "I guess the guys in this one were lucky."
    "As lucky as anyone was afterwards," Galway said quietly, and Caine could see his throat tighten with memories. For a moment he seemed to gaze into the past, and then his expression cleared and he focused again on Caine. "At any rate, I'll leave orders about the music and reading material."
    "Off to attend to more pressing matters?"
    "The game continues," Galway said, stepping back into the corridor. "You unfortunately, are now off the board. Good night."
    He disappeared down the corridor. The two Security men backed out behind him, their eyes on Caine the whole time. The door closed with a solid-sounding thud, followed by an equally solid thud from the lock.
    And Caine was alone.
    * * *
    Galway made sure the cell door was locked securely behind them. Then, leaving the two Security men behind on guard, he headed back to the elevator and the command/monitor room two floors up. He saw no one else in the lower-level corridor, or in the elevator, or in the ground-floor corridors. Not surprising, really. Haberdae had made it very clear that the Autumn-Three Strongpoint would be running a skeleton crew, with no more personnel than he himself judged to be absolutely essential for the care and guarding of their single prisoner.
    Penny wise , the old saying whispered through Galway's mind. Pound foolish . Haberdae was waiting in the command room, his arms folded across his chest as he stood behind the tech at the monitor bank, glaring at the three active screens that showed the inside of Caine's cell. Taakh stood off in one of the corners like a silent, brooding statue. "What's he doing?" Galway asked as he came into the room.
    "So far, just looking around," the tech reported. "I can't tell whether or not he's spotted the cameras."
    "He's certainly spotted two of them," Galway said, coming up beside Haberdae. "It'll be interesting to see if he disables them or simply tries to work around them as much as possible."
    "I'm sure whatever he does will be fascinating," Haberdae growled. "In the meantime, if you can drag your mind back to the main business at hand, we have a potentially serious problem brewing. Your man Judas reports Lathe and the Khala blackcollars may be setting up for a turf war." Galway frowned. "Over what?"
    "What do you think?" Haberdae